Become a Strengthen LA Partner
Join a network of employers, educators, and community organizations working together to strengthen our local workforce.
What It Means to Be a Partner
Strengthen LA partners believe that a thriving Lewiston-Auburn economy depends on collaboration. Partners share a commitment to helping individuals earn a livable wage and supporting employers in building, retaining, and advancing a skilled workforce.
As a partner, you’re part of a collective impact network that connects people, resources, and solutions across industries to create long-term workforce success.
What Partners Gain
- Connection & Collaboration: Access to a growing network of employers, educators, and service providers working toward shared workforce goals.
- Visibility & Voice: Opportunities to showcase your organization’s work, highlight open positions or training programs, and help shape regional workforce priorities.
- Shared Resources: Early access to Strengthen LA initiatives, training toolkits, and funding opportunities.
- Collective Impact: Support in aligning your efforts with others for greater results — whether that’s through joint projects, cohort participation, or cross-referrals.
- Capacity Building: Invitations to workshops, professional development sessions, and learning events designed to strengthen your team and the community.
What Partners Give
- Engagement: Attend monthly All-Partner meetings or designate a representative to stay connected.
- Collaboration: Contribute insights, data, or lived experience to help shape local workforce strategies.
- Support: Share opportunities, refer clients or employers, and participate in joint initiatives that advance shared goals.
- Communication: Keep your information up to date and share feedback so we can continually strengthen how we work together.
Partner Expectations
- Active participation in monthly All Partner Network meetings, involvement in at least 1 workgroup that advances a workforce initiative
- Commitment to shared goals that advance equitable, inclusive workforce development
- Willingness to collaborate across sectors and celebrate the success of others
- Mutual accountability — we learn and improve together
Employer Partnership
Strengthen LA partners with employers across industries to understand real workforce needs — from recruitment and onboarding to retention and advancement.
As an Employer Partner, you commit to collaborating with us and other community stakeholders to ensure that every individual has the opportunity to earn a livable wage while your business has the support to grow.
How Employer Partners Engage:
- Collaborate on Talent Pipelines: Work with Strengthen LA to connect interested career seekers with meaningful job opportunities.
- Provide Constructive Feedback: Offer input on candidate applications, interviews, and overall fit to help job seekers grow and to refine our local training programs.
- Identify Retention Needs: Partner with SLA to explore employee supports — such as transportation, childcare, scheduling flexibility, or mentorship — that help your team stay and succeed.
- Participate in Cohorts & Conversations: Join industry-specific groups (like Healthcare, Trades/Manufacturing, or Early Childhood Education) to share best practices and learn from peers.
- Promote Opportunities: Highlight job openings, apprenticeships, and training opportunities through SLA’s network.
Community Partnership
Strengthen LA brings together service providers, educators, and workforce programs to connect the dots across our community.
As a Community Partner, you help ensure that job seekers receive the wraparound supports they need — while employers gain the prepared, reliable talent they’re looking for.
Together, we identify gaps, reduce duplication, and share solutions that make the entire system work better for everyone.
How Community Partners Engage
- Refer & Receive: Refer career seekers who are ready for employment or training, and receive referrals from SLA when your services align with an individual’s needs.
- Address Barriers: Collaborate to provide holistic supports — from housing and transportation to childcare, recovery, and ESL — so individuals can stabilize before entering or returning to work.
- Align Programs: Coordinate with SLA and other partners to align services, timelines, and program goals for stronger outcomes.
- Share Insights: Provide input on emerging needs, trends, and challenges that inform SLA’s strategies and system-level advocacy.
- Join Conversations: Participate in All-Partner meetings, convenings, and workgroups that strengthen collaboration across sectors.
Ready to Get Involved?
Whether you’re an employer looking for talent, a service provider supporting jobseekers, or an educator training the next generation — there’s a place for you at the table. Join us in strengthening the Lewiston-Auburn workforce.
Our Partners
We are grateful to our partners for their unwavering support. Your collaboration helps Strengthen LA drive meaningful change in our communities. Together, we are building stronger, more connected neighborhoods across the region.